With the numerous available options for outdoor lighting, choosing the right fixture for your project can seem a little daunting. There are style and operational choices to consider, such as installation location, design aesthetics, energy costs, local lighting regulations, and more. Bollards represent a versatile and durable outdoor lighting option for commercial or residential pathways, streets, and driveways. They look great and are designed to provide illumination without disrupting landscaping design or function. A bollard light is a vertical metal post that can be fitted with an LED, pulse-start metal halide (PSMH), fluorescent, or high-pressure sodium (HPS) lamp; many of our bollard lights are now available with integrated LED arrays, too.
Beside lamp type, bollard lights have a variety of customizable options that shield or alter the light in particular ways. Reflectors distribute light in different ways to meet specific needs; a downward angle, for example, can satisfy dark sky–compliance regulations.
Bollard Reflectors
The kind of bollard reflectors you choose will depend on your specific needs. Access Fixtures has customizable bollard lights with four available reflector types:
Bollard Reflectors – Types of Reflector
The standard reflector option is a cone and is best for traditional lamp types. Unlike LEDs, traditional fixtures such as PSMH and HPS are not directional lights; their light is distributed 360 degrees; the cone then directs the light upward to a smaller cone, which distributes the light in an even, downward-facing spread. Bollard lights with standard reflectors will provide soft light with little to no glare.
Type 5 Glass Refractors
Bollard lights with type 5 glass feature borosilicate glass that encloses the lamp. For lighting applications that require broad light distribution, type 5 glass is the most efficient option. Light emitted from a bollard with type 5 glass is more intense than that from other bollards. The light is distributed evenly over 360 degrees, though we can provide optional shades that limit the light to 180 degrees and prevent light trespass to neighboring properties. Bollard lights with type 5 glass work well for parks and public spaces that require brighter light for better safety and security. They can also be used if your goal is to achieve the most light with the fewest fixtures.
Louvers
Louvers are reminiscent of blind shades and are used to restrict light by directing it downward. Louvered bollards are great for residential lighting, ambient lighting, and decorative landscape lighting. Louvers are often an aesthetic choice that also can minimize light trespass. Bollard lights with louvers are also great for areas that need a limited amount of lighting for conservation purposes; a beachfront property owner, for instance, may want to provide light by the shoreline without harming local wildlife, like sea turtles.
Specialized Aluminum Cones
Aluminum cones are the latest in bollard design and were implemented with LED arrays in mind. LEDs are directional lights, meaning they emit light in a specific direction instead of all around, like PSMH and HPS lights do. LEDs send their light down onto the specialized cone, which reflects it out and downward. Due to this downward angle of the emitted light, LED bollards with aluminum cones, minimize glare and satisfy dark sky regulations by minimizing light pollution.
Choosing the Best Reflector
The right reflector choice will depend on your project and your desired light source type. For property managers seeking to save on energy costs, an LED bollard with an aluminum cone reflector will be the most effective option, while those seeking traditional lamp types will be more satisfied with the standard cone reflector option.
In close quarters, louvers work well to restrict emitted light from spilling onto neighboring properties. Type 5 glass delivers the most light, which can reduce the number of fixtures required to light an area. With the right lamp type and reflector options, bollard lights can provide optimal, cost-effective illumination for your residential or commercial property.
Speak to an Access Fixtures Lighting Specialist about Choosing the Right Fixture
Access Fixtures is your factory-direct source for all light fixtures needed to suitably illuminate your property. Don’t worry if you’re feeling overwhelmed by all this bollard talk. We have a team here waiting to help you sort through the options and find the bollard types that best suit you. We want to make sure you get the exact fixture for your needs, your budget, and your goals. We are passionate about lighting and love what we do—we’ll get you an answer. To speak with an Access Fixtures lighting specialist, call (800) 468-9925.
